In-House Panel Review

In-House Legal Teams – Panel Review Support

In-House Panel Review. I have worked in the legal procurement area since 2003, and have managed panel reviews for both the public sector – the Legal Aid Agency and Royal Mail/ Post Office – and the private sector – Royal Mail, post-privatisation.

I managed Royal Mail’s legal panel reviews and contract extensions under three successive General Counsel from 2010 to December 2017 – each result different depending on the requirements.

I advise in-house legal teams on legal panel reviews/legal procurement, from discussing strategy and options to managing the review on your behalf and drafting the tender documentation if required, liaising with Group Procurement where necessary. I have extensive experience of drafting and negotiating panel agreements and ways of working protocols with legal services suppliers. I keep myself up to date with public procurement law developments so I can continue to advise public sector teams, who have more rules to contend with.

I am very much in favour of making the exercise fit the issue. I work with you to establish what it is exactly you are after. It may be that you don’t need a full panel review (a very time-consuming exercise) but rather a ‘panel refresh’. The standard system usually advocated by procurement teams is for a 3-4 year cycle of panel reviews, arguably reviewing simply for review’s sake. I believe the GC should very much set the tone here, and enter into bespoke contracts that fit the requirement.

The question may be more around how to best optimize your relationship with your external providers. A quick review or refresh may be more appropriate (and far quicker) than a full panel review – if this fits with your strategy. You may simply wish to bring the odd additional firm on board with suitable terms.

With certain legal work, regular panel reviews may well be appropriate, but let’s define ‘regular’ carefully. In my view, with many outsourcing exercises, the focus should not be on obtaining cheaper rates but on working with providers who can offer you the most efficient and effective ways of working. Let’s talk about output rather than input.

I discuss all the possibilities available in today’s market place. Traditional law firms are no longer your only choice. Alternative legal services providers, technology providers and hiring Counsel directly are some additional options. Your buying power has increased dramatically, and any procurement strategy should reflect this. What work do you wish to outsource, how and why? Where appropriate, I’m in favour of GCs forming longer term, genuine partnership/collaborative arrangements with their suppliers. This all needs careful thought and analysis as part of your strategic thinking.

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